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Hot-hitting Wells leads support for solid Wilson

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Wells' two-run homer 0:44

3/17/13: Vernon Wells launches a two-run home run to left field to give the Angels a 5-1 lead in the fourth inning

By Alden Gonzalez
/
MLB.com |

TEMPE, Ariz. -- C.J. Wilson was solid while getting into the sixth inning, Mike Trout notched a two-run triple and Vernon Wells hit his fourth home run of the spring in the Angels' 7-4 win over the split-squad Padres at Tempe Diablo Stadium on Sunday.

Freddy Garcia, a non-roster invitee who's trying to nail down a rotation spot for San Diego, seemingly took a step back, giving up six runs on six hits in five innings to put the Padres in an early hole. Garcia, 36, threw four innings of one-run ball against the Giants his last time out, but now has his Cactus League ERA at 9.77 through 15 2/3 innings.

Albert Pujols served as the designated hitter for the seventh time this spring, going 1-for-3 with an RBI single to put his batting average at .350. Howie Kendrick went 2-for-3, giving him a hit in each of his 13 Cactus League starts and putting his batting average at .513.

The Angels (5-12-4) scored three runs in the third on Trout's two-run triple and a sacrifice fly by Alberto Callaspo. In the fourth, Wells put them ahead, 5-1, with a two-run homer. Fighting for some sort of role on the team, the 34-year-old outfielder is batting .423 in Cactus League play and said this is his best spring since 2006 -- when he went on to hit .303 with 32 homers and 106 RBIs with the Blue Jays.

Wilson, whose last start came in a simulated game, gave up only one run in 5 1/3 innings, allowing five hits, walking one and striking out two. Mitch Stetter, hampered for most of camp with a bulging disk in his back, gave up two runs in two-thirds of an inning in his spring debut.

"I thought he was excellent," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "For one stretch, he was getting under his changeup a little bit and it was elevated. But for the most part, his stuff, it was firm. He did a good job controlling the game, the running game. I thought he pitched the way you want him to pitch when he gets his first start of the season."

Nick Hundley, the starting catcher with Yasmani Grandal serving a 50-game suspension, and Jedd Gyorko, who figures to be the Opening Day second baseman, had RBI doubles in that frame for the Padres (12-10).

Chase Headley left the game after the first inning with a jammed left thumb and is day to day.

Up next: The Angels have their second scheduled off-day of the spring on Monday, so Joe Blanton will get his innings and pitch count up in a Minor League game on the main field of the Tempe Diablo Stadium complex at 1 p.m. PT. The game is free and open to the public. Blanton gave up two runs in five innings against the Padres his last time out. Jason Vargas will get the start, and will hit for himself, when the Angels face the Brewers in Phoenix on Tuesday at 1:05 p.m. PT.